Ask anyone working in development and construction what stands between an idea and a finished project, and funding may be one of the first responses. But look a little deeper and there’s a second bottleneck that gets less attention, but be just as costly: information. Can this property be developed? What zoning applies? What infrastructure is available? What environmental constraints exist? What permits will be required? Is this even a viable site? These are basic questions.

We use AI in parts of our own work, and we think it's worth being plain about how. So today we're publishing our AI Policy, a short, straightforward page on how AI shows up at UrbanForm and how it supports the people who rely on us. Our one principle Everything we build exists to strengthen human decision-making, keep people well-informed, and build the foundations for good relationships. That's the whole policy in one sentence, and everything else follows from it. Land-use d

Every city we work with already has tools in place to serve residents well. GIS portals, permit systems, comprehensive plans, dedicated staff who know the code inside and out. Those tools and that expertise are the foundation. UrbanForm doesn't replace any of it. UrbanForm builds a zoning intelligence layer: a layer that puts the answer to "what can I do here?" directly into the hands of people, whether or not they already speak the language of zoning. It’s an intelligence la

Washington’s middle housing law has been on the books since 2023. Most planners in the state know the headline: cities must allow duplexes, triplexes, and other “missing middle” housing types in residential zones that were previously single-family only. What’s less clear, and what’s generating a lot of the real work right now, is the parcel-level question underneath that headline. Knowing your city is required to allow four units per lot doesn’t tell you which lots can actual